We are lucky to have several volunteers supporting the work of Chichester Harbour Conservancy. Their roles vary from taking part in conservation work parties to supporting school children visiting our Education Centre. In this series, Kate L’Amie joins three of our volunteers to find out more…
The Harbour Watch
“Harbour Watch” volunteers support the management of Chichester Harbour’s 53 miles of shoreline, each covering a section of the harbour shore. Kate joins Shirley Rushmer to walk her patch between Fishbourne and Dell Quay and find out more about her Harbour Watch responsibilities.
I meet Shirley in Fishbourne early one chilly November morning. As we leave the carpark, I start to understand Shirley’s connection with the community and landscape as she greets a regular walker and his dog. Having walked this stretch of coastline for several years, she knows the “morning people”, and she shares a few words with many of these as we stroll towards Dell Quay.
It is that regularity that means Shirley notices things that the casual passer-by may miss. A gate starting to drop on its hinges, new damage to a sea wall, a path that needs clearing or a fence in need of repair… She reports these back to our rangers, who work closely with the Harbour Watch volunteers.
We pause at “Rubbish Corner”, an area where litter often washes ashore. She litter-picks during many of her walks; as well as rubbish from the sea, she finds other debris along the coast and footpaths, from cans and bottles to shotgun wadding.
As we approach Dell Quay, Shirley whips out her secateurs to trim brambles overhanging the path, keen to ensure that walkers aren’t tangled up. A hazard she doesn’t deal with is the dog mess, which she says has increased significantly over the last few years. We chat about the impact of dog faeces on wildlife, water quality and the ecology of the harbour’s shores.
Returning towards Fishbourne we take in the view over the rising tide where the River Lavant meets the harbour. She points out Wigeon, Brent Geese, jumping Bass and a post that is a regular perch for her favourite bird, the Kingfisher.
Walking with Shirley, her sense of responsibility for the area radiates out. I ask about her favourite time of year, but she says that no two days are the same – the tide, the weather, the changing seasons making up the year-round beauty of the harbour which she loves so much.
As well as being a valued member of the Harbour Watch team, Shirley is a keen photographer and kindly lets us use many of her images of the local area and wildlife.
This post was taken from the 2025 edition of Harbour Life; you can read the magazine at this link, or pop into the Harbour Office at Itchenor to pick up a copy.